Live: Elections 2024

PTI leader Taimur Saleem Khan Jhagra has said that the eight seats “stolen seats” in Peshawar will be pursued.

“The shameful rigging in the 2024 elections has left a trail like never before, starting with the undeniable record of Form 45s,” he said.

Former planning minister Ahsan Iqbal has said that a challenge for “older parties is to align their politics with the new emerging socio-economic dynamics”.

In a post on X, Iqbal emphasised that older political parties needed to “create space for these segments in their party structures”.

The PML-N leader highlighted that ex-premier Imran Khan’s politics was based on “middle and educated classes and youth rebellion against traditional politics”, where there was “no meaningful space for them”.

“Worldwide electoral politics has become vulnerable to manipulation with [a] lethal combination of data science and technology for shaping narratives and micro-targeting the voters. Older parties have to up their response,” he added.

PTI Senior Vice President Sher Afzal Marwat has alleged that former premier and PPP candidate Yousuf Raza Gilani, who emerged victorious from NA-148, “lost by 6,500 votes” according to the Form-45.

Speaking to the media, Marwat claimed Gilani was “made to win by a margin of 104 votes” according to the provisional results issued by the Election Commission of Pakistan.

PTI-backed independent candidate Barrister Taimur Malik was contesting against the ex-prime minister from Multan.

PML-N Vice President Maryam Nawaz has said that there is “no truth” in assumptions that party supremo Nawaz Sharif is staying away from politics because he did not choose to be the party’s candidate for the premiership.

In a post on X, Maryam said, “During the next five years, not only would he actively participate in politics but also lead his governments in the Centre and Punjab.”

She further said that Nawaz had “made it clear in his election speeches that he would not be a part of any coalition government”.

Pakistan Muslim League-Zia President Ijazul Haq has said he would consult his “party and friends” on PML-Q chief Chaudhry Shujaat’s offer to “remain in a group” in the next government.

Haq has met Shujaat a day after the PML-Q affirmed support for a PML-N-led coalition setup.

Addressing a press conference, Haq said, “As Chaudhry sahib said, a lot of people from Islamabad, Pindi have come to meet him today, as well as Tariq Cheema.

“So we discussed among ourselves [and] Shujaat sahib had said to me that we should remain in a group [in the next government] so I told him that I will consult my party and friends,” the son of former military dictator Zia said.

He added that he would meet Shujaat again soon and “see how we can move forward”.

The Human Rights Commission of Pakistan (HRCP) has condemned the arrest of independent candidate Daniyal Aziz, his wife Mehnaz Akber Aziz, and his son following the February 8 elections.

Daniyal, who is a former federal minister, was already in police custody when his wife and son were arrested. Prior to Mahnaz’s arrest, she had claimed that Daniyal was being illegally detained for rigging the election, which he has denied. She added that more than 100 of their supporters had been arrested.

“HRCP deplores the authorities’ high-handedness against independent candidate Daniyal Aziz and his wife, former MNA Mehnaz Akber Aziz, and their son, in Narowal soon after the elections,” the commission said in a statement on X.

“Mr Aziz had been arrested earlier by the police on unknown charges while visiting polling stations in his constituency on polling day. All cases of unwarranted force against political candidates, their families and supporters must be investigated and those responsible held to account,” the HRCP added.

PTI-backed independent candidate Barrister Taimur Malik has said he “just received” a copy of the election commission’s letter to NA-148’s returning officer, highlighting the delay in the processing of his complaint.

Shared by Malik on X, the letter on his complaint about “denial of access” to the RO’s office during the provisional consolidation of poll results was issued on February 9 and stated that the matter may be treated as “most urgent”.

“This is why it’s important to document irregularities — this establishes a pattern of wrong-doing and shall need to be looked into by the superior courts,” he added.

Senior PPP leader Khursheed Shah has said that the party would instead go for the chairmanship of the National Assembly standing committees, instead of ministries.

“The ministries which will go to the PML-N, we will go for those standing committees,” he said. “Committees are more powerful than ministries,” he said while speaking to Dawn.com correspondent Nadir Guramani.

PTI’s Babar Awan has claimed that the incoming government was being formed through “lotabazi”.

“I want to tell the turncoats that you will be disqualified under the spirit of Article 63 of the Constitution,” he warned. “We have the statements and affidavits of all these people.”

Article 63-A outlines the process to disqualify a lawmaker who votes against the party line in the assembly during the election of the prime minister or chief minister, vote of confidence or no-confidence and budget.

“The majority is standing today […] the future of the country lies in the hands of Pakistanis, not any mafia and those trying to impose a mafia in the country will be defeated,” Awan added.

The Jamaat-i-Islami (JI) has claimed that the PTI has “changed its stance” on their plan regarding cooperation in the upcoming government.

A day after the PTI said it would join the JI in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa to form the provincial government, JI spokesperson Qaiser Sharif said that both parties had agreed to “cooperate on the national level in the national interest”.

“Tehreek-i-Insaf changed its stance,” Sharif said in a statement.

“They can settle their affairs in KP with whoever they wish; the JI would be glad.”

Babar Awan has demanded the immediate release of PTI founder Imran Khan, saying that the leader of the “largest party in the country” was needed in the formation of the new government.

He lauded the PTI chief’s decision to nominate Ali Amin Gandapur as the chief minister of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, saying that he was the party’s lion who had stuck with Imran through thick and thin.

The Election Commission of Pakistan has directed to conduct repolling in six polling stations of NA-43 (Dera Ismail Khan/Tank) on Saturday, Radio Pakistan reports.

According to ECP, polling was restrained in these polling stations due to the law and order situation, the report added.

Former PTI leader and ex-human rights minister Shireen Mazari has said that it is PTI founder Imran Khan’s “right not to” negotiate with other parties.

In a post on X, she wondered, “Why would he sit with those who continue to steal the people’s mandate; who [as] PDM govt persecuted him, his leaders and workers; and who have been rejected in election 2024 by the people?”

The Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) has directed to halt the vote recount and any other proceedings in PB-21 Hub.

The ECP on Sunday had announced a recount in 39 polling stations of Hub’s PB-21 constituency in Balochistan.

According to a notification issued today, the electoral watchdog said it was informed on Feb 12 by the provincial election commissioner and the returning officer that “some miscreants have entered the RO office and resorted to tampering of polling record forcibly resulting in grave law and order situation”.

Subsequently, the ECP has set up a four person fact-finding committee to investigate the matter. It has also directed to halt the vote recount process till further orders.

PML-N ex-minister Rana Tanveer Hussain has said that party senior vice-president Maryam Nawaz, also the daughter of ex-premier Nawaz Sharif, would become the “first female chief minister of Punjab”.

The Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) has withheld the results of NA-253 and PB-9 Kohlu and ordered re-election in seven polling stations after receiving some complaints.

Independent candidate Mian Khan Bugti was elected from NA-253 after defeating Nawabzada Shahzain Bugti.

According to an ECP notification, the polling will be held from 8am to 5pm on Feb 16.

Read more here.

PTI Central Information Secretary Raoof Hasan has said that Imran’s “mandate has been stolen in the dark of the night”.

In a post on X, Hasan said, “Pakistan is being put on [the] road to further destabilisation.”

Referring to a possible coalition government led by the PML-N, he said, “The decision to induct a bunch of criminals to form governments, who have been rejected by the people, reflects a myopic view of the grave challenges the country is beset with.”

The PTI spokesperson said the current situation was “striking at the very essence of democratic principles and norms”, as well as reflected a “disdain for the national interests and the welfare of its people”.

“Forces of dark must be stopped and power must pass on to those whom the people have chosen as their leaders,” Hasan added.

The Jamiat Ulema-i-Islam—Fazl (JUI-F) has managed to secure two more National Assembly seats from Balochistan after its candidates were declared winners following a recount. Its total NA seats now stand at 6.

JUI-F Secretary General Maulana Abdul Ghafoor Haideri and Molvi Syed Samiullah were declared winners from NA-261 and NA-251, respectively.

According to the provisional results announced by the Election Commission of Pakistan, which were available on its website till late Tuesday night, BNP-Mengal’s Sardar Akhtar Mengal and Pashtoonkhwa National Party’s (PkNAP) Khushal Khan Kakar had won from NA-261 and NA-251, respectively.

Read more here.

PTI leader Shafqat Mahmood has expressed surprise at the “gumption” of politicians who he claims have “lost their seats yet claim victory with a straight face”.

In a post on X, Mahmood said, “With such a legacy they also promise to ‘save’ Pakistan. God help us.”

The Lahore High Court has dismissed the petitions against the victory of former prime minister Nawaz Sharif from NA-130, PML-N President Shehbaz Sharif from PP-164 and his son Hamza Shehbaz from PP-147 with a direction to the petitioners to appro­a­­ch the Election Commis­sion of Pakistan (ECP).

PTI’s Punjab chapter president Dr Yasmin Rashid, who lost the election from NA-130, had challenged the victory of Nawaz Sharif.

Her counsel argued that respondent Sharif lost the election as per the record of Form 45, yet the returning officer (RO) declared him successful on the basis of alleged manipulated Form 47.

Justice Ali Baqar Najafi dismissed all the petitions and observed that the constitutional petitions were not maintainable before the high court without availing the first remedy under the law.

Read more here.

Lawyer Abdul Moiz Jaferii has said that if the cases against the tabulation of Form 47 results “do not end up in clear resolutions for each constituency”, bar members and judges “should really reflect upon” what their professions are worth.

In a post on X, he said, “If these Form 45/47 issues don not end up in clear resolutions for each constituency, members of the bars as well as the benches should really reflect upon what we do and what our professions are worth.

“The law must mean more to the people than a system of inconvenience,” he added.

Two of Balochistan’s political parties have decided to launch a protest movement against the alleged election rigging, describing the Feb 8 polls as the worst in the country’s history.

Pashtoonkhwa National Awami Party (PkNAP) Chairman Khushhal Khan Kakar and Jamhoori Watan Party (JWP) President Nawabzada Shahzain Bugti told separate press conferences on Tuesday that their parties would launch a peaceful protest against the “rigged” elections.

Kakar pledged to expose those involved in rigging and announced that from today, highways leading from Quetta to Karachi, Dera Ismail Khan, Dera Ghazi Khan, Chaman and other cities would be closed for an indefinite period if the results of rigging were not corrected within two days.

He appealed to all Baloch, Pashtoon and Hazara nationalist party leaders, in­­cluding Pashtoonkhwa Milli Awami Party (PkMAP) Chairman Mehmood Khan Ach­­akzai, to join hands with PkNAP in the movement launched against the alleged rigging.

Read more here.

The PTI has said that the best option for the PML-N is to “accept [its] defeat gracefully” and let their party founder Imran Khan “fix and heal the country”.

In a post on X, the party’s official account asked, “Can anyone from PML-N camp explain how PML-N won only 17 seats and what are they supposed to do with newspaper headlines that Nawaz Sharif be PM?”

It should be mentioned that Nawaz has nominated his brother and PML-N President Shehbaz Sharif for the role of the prime minister.

The Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) has issued victory notifications for a dozen members of the National Assembly including PML-N supreme leader Nawaz Sharif and three other members of his family.

As per the ECP’s notification the former prime minister has been declared a returned candidate from NA-130 (Lahore), his younger brother Shehbaz Sharif from NA-123 (Lahore), daughter Mar­yam Nawaz from NA-119 (Lahore) and nephew Hamza Shehbaz Sharif from NA-118 (Lahore).

The piecemeal issuance of notifications for publication in the official gazette in deviation from the tradition made many wonder if those declared successful have submitted details of the election expenses with the commission.

The commission has also declared PML-N leader Attaullah Tarar a winner from NA-127 (Lahore) and Muhammad Awn Chaudhry of IPP from NA-128 (Lahore).

ECP has also notified the victory of PML-N provincial president from Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP), Ameer Muqam, from NA-11 (Shangla).

Read more here.

As per the Election Commission of Pakistan’s tally, the total number of general seats won by the six parties which announced their plans to form a coalition led by Shehbaz Sharif — PML-N, PPP, MQM-P, PML-Q, IPP and BAP — comes to 152.

This clearly shows that these parties will easily achieve the minimum required number of 169 to form the government at the Centre after the addition of 60 women and 10 minority seats in their tally.

However, it is yet to be seen if these parties will be able to get to the next magic number of 224, which is required to obtain the elusive two-thirds majority in a 336-member National Assembly.

If the PTI-backed candidates decide to join the Majlis-i-Wahdatul Muslimeen (MWM), as announced by the party, it will get a share in the women and minorities seats as well.

However, since the MWM has only won a seat only from Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, the PTI would only be entitled to a share in the 10 reserved seats allocated to women from that province.

Read more here.

PML-N Information Secretary Marriyum Aurangzeb has said that party supremo Nawaz Sharif feels he can best support Shehbaz Sharif as prime minister and Maryam Nawaz as Punjab chief minister by helping them from behind and looking at party affairs.

Talking to Geo News, she said committees were being formed in every political party about the power-sharing setup in any future government.

PML-N Information Secretary Marriyum Aurangzeb has said that party supremo Nawaz Sharif has nominated party president Shehbaz Sharif for the post of the country’s prime minister.

She added that PML-N Senior Vice President Maryam Nawaz was nominated for the post of Punjab’s chief minister.

PPP co-chairperson Asif Ali Zardari has said reconciliation is needed in the current political situation and the PTI is also included in that process.

“This is not that we want that PTI does not enter reconciliation. It should and every other political force should, come and talk with us. Our economic and defence agenda should be common. We should move forward with our commonalities and then make the house of Sharif and others successful so we can make Pakistan successful.”

PML-N President Shehbaz Sharif has called for an end to “issues of ego”, adding that the need is for “revolutionary steps” to rescue the country’s economy.

“Come and I again invite the Charter of Economy to everyone. Come, move forward and let’s together promote the Charter of Democracy and end the things we said against one another.”

He said the enemies of the nation should be shown that it is united.

“Forgive and forget. Let us have this charter of reconciliation.”

PML-N President Shehbaz Sharif has requested his brother Nawaz Sharif to accept the office of the prime minister.

He also said that PML-N Senior Vice President Maryam Nawaz will be the Punjab chief minister candidate after the party’s consultations.

Istehkam-i-Pakistan Party (IPP) leader Aleem Khan has said that Pakistan was going through an extremely difficult phase with inflation impacting the poor and economic crisis aggravating.

Addressing a press conference with political bigwigs in attendance, Khan said everyone had to step up for difficult decisions, which were beneficial for the country.

“I am hopeful the upcoming government of Shehbaz Sharif will efficiently take such decisions and end miseries of the poor,” he added.

He said he was thankful to Chaudhry Shujaat for inviting all political leaders for important discussions.

PML-N President Shehbaz Sharif has said the next task on the agenda is to solve the country’s economic issues.

“Today we have united to tell the nation that we all accept the split mandate. I am thankful to Zardari and Bilawal that they decided for their party to vote for the PML-N,” he said and thanked the other gathered leaders as well.

Shehbaz said the other gathered parties with represented him “almost 2/3 majority” of the Parliament after elections.

PML-N President Shehbaz Sharif has said the political leaders together with him have gathered to tell the nation that election politics of opposition was over and now was the time with the Parliament to form.

“Now our war is against the country’s challenges. The first challenge is the economy. We have to stabilise it which is a tall task. Nations move forward when their leadership unites and decides to end conflicts and take the nation forward to eliminate problems.”

MQM-Pakistan Convener Khalid Maqbool Siddiqui has said that no interest could be greater than serving Pakistan for any party at the moment.

“With mutual cooperation, we will strengthen democracy and support Mian Shehbaz Sharif. We have supported him before and will do so in future,” he told a news conference with political bigwigs including Asif Ali Zardari, Shehbaz Sharif and others present alongside.

Siddiqui said everyone must put aside their political interests and move ahead with a common approach to serve the country.